Software

It's only time I blab about that – software is very easy to download & install, and the same applies to removal. By the way – removing apps in Linux leaves shit behind too. But by lesser extent than in Windows.

But, it IS very easy to try and test everything you fancy.

I personally started quickly to prefer adding & removing soft with Synaptic (as opposed to Software Manager). Reason: With Synaptic you can see what happens, what additional packages (dependencies) are installed or removed. It is important if one cares what to keep in the computer. Here is one short description what Synaptic is (but don't download it from there - it's a lot more carefree with Software Manger and from repository.

FOR EXAMPLE: Removal: It seems to be growing tendency in distros to make things 'essential part' of operational system. Yes – like Windows, like incorporated IE. So - you can't remove certain things without removing whole DE. Mint Cinnamon finds Pidgin to be so important as to be unremovable – and that was one reason for me to drop Cinnamon. I do not need new Windows – An Almighty System that knows what I need and have to use. Puke!

The same goes with KDE, only couple of times more heavy-handedly. From widely hated bastards Nepomuk/Akonady to Kontakt-suit. You touch them, and your KDE will be removed – which is silly thing to happen. But only if it was unintentional, of course.

But it's definitely worth to observe also the less dramatic uninstalls – apps leave sometimes their shit behind (libraries not used by anyone etc). Or they try to bring 'helpful' stuff with them.

Installation: The same thing – look for unwanted quests. Synaptic has by default the option 'consider recommended packages as dependencies' on. Means, you get things you – maybe – do not need. Some packages bring along all their beloved shit – like Gedit brings Zeitgeist (which can be removed after install, except one library); every second KDE app tries to introduce Nepomuk or Akonady or Kontakt to your system. I, personally, do not need these things.

With Synaptic you can at least see what is gonna happen.

Yes, yes - CLI rules as the king of flexibility. But I am a noob, I use it as little as possible.

TIP: There are two different operations in Synaptic – 'remove' and 'completely remove'. The first leaves files behind, the second removes everything from /root, BUT leaves conf files and folders in your ~home anyway... Use 'completely...' - less crap to clean.

But, contradicting my own words now – if one is Windows-user extraordinaire and first time in Linux, then use Software Manager, by all means. It lets you choose apps by topic, it lets you read user-reviews, and has nicy pictures. You can make your choice at least a bit informed way. And one silly link to see here, and a second one (silly, because you have to make your own choices anyway).

And here, very short overview of my current apps-choices.

Terminal, Gedit, Synaptic, Firefox, archiver (zips and tars!) – do get things done in system. Like, to write command line, write into text file how you did what you did, get help from web anyway, before or after you unarchived those bug-bags you carelessly downloaded.

Font Manager – for really tidying up that area (which is quite a mess).

GIMP – Linux Photoshop-equivalent; it's not exactly on Adobes' level, but it is quite capable.

Gthumb – thumbnail viewer with some nice simple file-tweaking abilities. As a Windows-user you might know super-handy utility Irfanview. Strange enough – there is nothing comparable to that in Linux. There are lot of them – and they all lack some different feature.

Inkscape – Linux's Coreldraw. Native format is svg. If one plans to seriously mess with icons – and lot of them are svg-s, it's a must. Others are png – go for GIMP.

Qbittorrent – I don't like Transmission which seems to be favorite of many-many distros.

VLC – media player (it has also Windows version). And I do not have it. It played but frequently skipped parts and volume went up and down. Now, a linuxpro would say something about ALSA and Pulseaudio and layers and of trying different confs. I say – 'completely remove'. Now I have Clementine installed and no problems. Besides, it has nice logo-icon – slice of clementine, surprisingly.

Libreoffice suit = MS Office (and for less complicated docs Abiword = MS Wordpad is OK choice). At least the first one is quite compatible with Office of the Great Satan.

Bleachbit – to clean system occasionally (temps, unused language files etc).

Gparted – disk formatting and partitioning.

Only thing of those that crashed on me, was Libreoffice, on its first run. Which means that Firefox behaves much better than in Windows (no crashes or minutes-long full stops). Ups? Oh, it's faster too. Firefox, I mean.

Distributions ISO-s usually contain quite a lot of apps which will be installed out of box. Selection is what distros think you might appreciate, or just like that, or for arcane reasons. I always remove some of defaults – old school, can't stand useless stuff on my hdd.

For users of Ubuntu-family distro, the choice of apps is huge, it is said that only Debian have even more packages. Which means that you can get everything desired from ubuntu software center via manager or Synaptic. If need arises for something special – then you have to find it in web and either add new 'ppa' to your software sources or download tar pack. In first case (how to add code is usually provided on apps' page), install with Synaptic. In second case, have to read install-notes (usually also included in tarball).

4. Cinnamon!

2012, November-December, Linux Mint Cinnamon 14.1

Installation-media – USB, installation through live session. Differently of spring, install succeeded this time. Tingling feeling of happiness and satisfaction that devs reacted to my silent prayers and fixed Everything! Sound, wifi, samba all worked out of box.

Mint is derivative (fork) of Ubuntu - which is derivative of Debian. Geneology, how exciting!

Cinnamon (Mint's DE) is based on Gnome 3.x . It's the DE which is nowadays widely hated because its radical departure of pleasant and traditional desktop of Gnome 2.x. Some folks even say that the Way of Gnome 2 was/is the most intuitive and easily-used desktop of all times. Most productive - if we use current much overused shit-word. Gnome 3, of the contrary to its parent, is touch-screen oriented tablet-loving way-too-much-clicks porn. Also look here.

Cinnamon recreates Gnome 2-like interface using modern devices and means of Gnome 3.

Birth and growth of Cinnamon can be considered entirely good thing. I mean, everything is better than Gnome 3, even Unity is, and even Windows 8. So, fixing Gnome 3 interface is inherently Godlike and Benign Act.

Leaving that aside, do I like Cinnamon in practical way, do I want to use it? Yes and no.

1. Yes-things: Its interface is slick, modern and tasteful – and that last thing is rare animal in Linux zoo. Very rare. Bravo, Mint! Some say that Mint's stock green wallpaper is really, really repetitive and should be changed to something new. I don't care – it's easiest thing to change. And really, first thing to do – after or during very important more firster things is to change stock wallpaper. We the users always have the real better one.

INTERLUDE. Those important firster things:

a) Install your machine's proprietary drivers! Usually it means video driver. Sometimes more (wifi). If it is an Ubuntu-based distro, then the place to go is Settings/Software Sources/Additional drivers. You can install it from there. It takes time, be patient.

If it's not Ubuntu-like or some other friendly distro, then the process is probably a bit more complicated and depends into what distro you have stepped.

It took to me several days to find that there is one more step required to really install that Nvidia video driver...

Open terminal, type:

nvidia-xconfig

Conf file is created. Reboot is needed (which is NOT said to you. BUT, don't boot yet – let's do next step before, or in all likeness you have to boot twice.

b) Rev up your Update/Software manager and update. First load will be in three digit numbers (Megas), it takes many minutes. But, don't simply sit and drool – now its time to change that wallpaper! And generally click around. Try to drag things on your desktop. Right-click here and there.

Oh, it’s done (update, that is). Probably wants to reboot. If not - feel relieved, if yes - reboot. And … hopefully it does boot. If it doesn't, then there are two choices... do you only wish to use this marvelous opsystem of the future? Then format the whole thing, and find another, more cooperative distro. OR – you want to fix the lame one? Google 'my fresh Linux not booting' or something, or try distros' forum – you get matches as much as there are suns in the Galaxy. Depending of circumstances, but hour or two or more sweaty fun is waiting for you. Also fast level-up.

c) Codecs, ttf fonts, flash, ... distros have different attitudes about those things. There are those who include them without any fuss (Mint, Zorin, Stella etc), then there is Ubuntu and others who ask during installation 'Do you want' … (Just as a by-note: Xubuntu 12.10 install, in my case, simply hung after 'yes'). Fortunately, all forbidden things are also available after install. Via Synaptic, for example, package name is 'ubuntu restricted extras'.Other distros, naturally, have different package-names. Download & install (Synaptic does this for you), enjoy.

And then there are Fedora-likes: all smelly non-free stuff is stricktly out. In those cases one has to find special moonshining repositories, add them to your systems' list, and install. Procedures are distro specific. G!, RTFM or forum.

Mint Cinnamon didn't crash once. There were some little bugs. Which is quite a big improvement compared to ver 12. Which did crash... it's Software manager had fatal bug and had to be removed for distro to work properly.

Generally, nicy and cutey thing. Very nooby-cuddly. But as I said – not overly bling, not at all.

2. No-things for me:

What a unpleasant menu it had! … Though, not as revolting as KDEs' super crap-pile. MintMenu has Apps-folders and additionally Favorites and Places. It has fixed-size - and to remedy this it has quirky slider for getting to half-hidden apps-lists. I didn't like that. Have to say, through my teeth, that the menu is esthetically pleasing. But not pleasing to use.

There is only one panel (default bottom) in Cinnamon. Kinda poor? Yes. Sure, you can install dockers... but I like classical panels better. (adding mysteriously – not necessarily KDE3/Trinity ones.)

Settings. There is definitely too little to tweak. Yes-yes, I am never satisfied. Period.

I played around 2-3 days and found it boring in it's niceness and/or lack of customization.